(By Delegates Fleischauer, Marshall and Manypenny)
[Introduced February 13, 2013; referred to the
Committee on Education then Finance.]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §18B-7-12a, relating
to requiring governing boards of all state colleges,
universities and community colleges, both public and private,
to submit plans detailing how paid childbirth leave of at
least six weeks would be made available to nine-month faculty
employees; requiring governing boards to study the paid
childbirth plans at other institutions around the country and
consult with affected faculty members of both genders before
submitting their plans; requiring that plans also specify how
leaves would be funded and include proposed rules for using
paid childbirth leave; and requiring the plans to identify the
types of employees the plans would cover and identify any
particular groups of employees to be excluded be identified
and an explanation for their exclusion. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §18B-7-12a, to read as
follows:ARTICLE 7. PERSONNEL GENERALLY.§18B-7-12a. Paid childbirth leave.
_____(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this code to the
contrary, effective July 1, 2013, the governing boards of all state
colleges, universities and community colleges, both public and
private, shall submit plans detailing how paid childbirth leave of
at least six weeks would be made available to nine-month faculty
employees. The plans must be submitted to the Higher Education
Policy Commission and the Legislative Oversight Committee on
Education Accountability no later than October 1, 2013.
_____(b) The governing boards of all state colleges, universities
and community colleges, both public and private, prior to October
1, 2013, shall study the paid childbirth plans at other
institutions around the country and consult with affected faculty
members of both genders before submitting their plans. The plans
should also specify how leaves would be funded and include proposed
rules for using paid childbirth leave.
_____(c) The plans submitted must identify which types of employees
to which the plans would apply, with the goal of providing broad
coverage. Any particular groups of employees who are being excluded should be identified and an explanation for their exclusion must be
included. The plans may discuss challenges and suggested short-term
or long-term methods of resolving the challenges.
_____(d) If any institution of higher education has a paid
childbirth leave policy, the term of that childbirth leave policy
must be submitted, together with information identifying which
groups, if any, are excluded from the policy and the reasons for
exclusion. If the institution of higher education has identified
any challenges to providing broad coverage, suggested short-term
and long-term methods for resolving any challenges to providing
broad coverage may also be submitted.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require governing boards
of all state colleges, universities and community colleges, both
public and private, to submit plans detailing how paid childbirth
leave of at least six weeks would be made available to nine-month
faculty employees. The bill requires governing boards to study the
paid childbirth plans at other institutions around the country and
consult with affected faculty members of both genders before
submitting their plans. The bill requires that plans also specify
how leaves would be funded and include proposed rules for using
paid childbirth leave. The bill also requires the plans to identify
the types of employees the plans would cover and identify any
particular groups of employees to be excluded be identified and an
explanation for their exclusion.